Because I am the reason why he looks like that.

But my happiness fades when I look at Tris's face again.

She's crying.

Her lips are moving, but I can't hear the words over the loud voices in the dining hall.

For once I wish I had super hearing.

After Tris stops talking, Al walks away, looking even more pathetic than before.  I wonder what she said to him.

I start to approach her but stop in my tracks when Eric blocks my path, follows my gaze, and frowns.

"Is something wrong with the Stiff?" He asks me.

"I'm actually not sure.  But I can't have her crying all over the place." I say, trying not to sound like this is the opposite of what I was thinking.

"Leave her be.  After all, you were once that weak Stiff." He says before he stalks off.

I take three seconds to curl and uncurl my fists before going back to my room.  He just destroyed my mood.

+++

I sit on my bed for at least an hour before I remember that I have to administer Fear Landscapes today.  Sighing, I get off my bed and leave the safety of my room behind.

By the time I get to the room, the initiates are already sitting down, waiting to be called on.  My eyes skirt over Tris's, and for a fraction of a second, we lock eyes.

Then I'm walking into the room and have to wait to get to the P's to see her again.

+++

By the time it's Tris's turn to come in, I'm exhausted.  

I've seen everything from spiders, to werewolves to vampires to little puppies in the initiate's Fear Landscapes, and if I was anything like Eric, I would tell all of their enemies how stupid their fears were just so they could use them against them.

Only, I'm not anything like Eric.